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VOL 13, ISSUE 1

Jan./Feb. 2017

A Letter from the President by Andrea Lapsley

Happy 2017 to all our neighbors and welcome to what I envision will be another great year for Old Braeswood. Now that 2017 is a few days old, I am writing this message reflecting on 2016 and how lucky I am to live in this neighborhood. The Old Braeswood neighborhood is a community of diverse, talented, and caring fam-ilies. We each moved here for different reasons. Perhaps a bigger home, the location, or we knew someone in the neighborhood. Whatever reason brought you to Old Braeswood, I am glad you are here and am delighted to call you “neighbor.”

Bob and I moved here twenty-five years ago and have seen this neighbor grow and flourish. I have seen so many friends dedicate their time, talent and treasure to serving on committees, work on park parties, serve as block captains, and so much more. We are a sought-after neighborhood because of you. Thank you.

They say that if you keep something long enough, it will come back in style again. Or, every-thing old is new again. What goes around, comes around. Well, I am truly an example of that. When I first moved here, I served on the homeowners association board for much of the 1990s and served as the President. And now, I have the honor and privilege of serving as President again. The challenges are different as we tackle issues of security, architectural re-view, planting trees, expanded park responsibilities, and more for the betterment of our beau-tiful neighborhood. We have a talented and dedicated board willing to participate in tough decision making for the neighborhood. Our committee chairs are some of the unsung heroes in the community. If you would like to volunteer or participate in some capacity, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected] or simply sign up on the enclosed membership renewal form. You can email me your interests .

I look forward to seeing each of you throughout the year at our April and November meetings, at park parties, or just walking in the neighborhood.

Enclosed with this newsletter is the annual POA membership and patrol renewal form. Please fill it out and return it with your check payable to “OBPOA” in the envelope provided.

Old Braeswood Patrol Welcomes New Officer There has been a rumor that S.E.A.L. Security writes parking tickets. This is to let our res-idents know that S.E.A.L. officers absolutely do not write tickets. They have no ticket books or printers in their cars nor do they have any authority to enforce any parking or traffic violations. These officers are here to help us, not to penalize us!

A recent example is the Grinch-like incident on December 13. The S.E.A.L. officer on duty, Irfan Kahn, spotted a thief grabbing a lighted wreath off a front door in OB. He gave chase on foot and the thief dropped the wreath and es-caped. The wreath was returned to the resident.

In this issue Your House Has a History 2

National Trust Tour 3

Old Braeswood on Wikipedia 3

Garden Club Holiday Party 4

Book Club News 5

Animals Among Us 6

Rice U. News / Real Estate 6

Trash and Recycling 7

Annual POA Meeting 8

Garden of the Season 5

Tree Committee 7

OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS

Your House Has a History by Susan Froehly Teich, OBPOA Historian When Wendy and Mark Bonnen at 2341 Blue Bonnet wanted a larger house, they didn’t have far to look. They bought 2351 Underwood, one block over. And it wasn’t the first time those two houses had been owned by members of the same family.

The Blue Bonnet house first appears in the Houston City Directory in 1931, owned by George Carl Schmidt and wife Ella. He had immigrated from Germany and become presi-dent of The Staytite Company, manufacturers of Staytite Oil Conservation and Tank Equipment.

The Underwood house joined the City Directory in 1939, owned by Louis M. and Mollie Kaplan. They also found suc-cess after immigrating, but from Russia. Louis was president-treasurer of Gerson & Kaplan, dress manufacturers. Mollie was vice-president.

In 1941, the Schmidts sold the Blue Bonnet house to Robert and Rebecca Kaplan, relatives of the Underwood Kaplans and also employed at Gerson & Kaplan. Robert and Rebecca moved their maid Estelle Richards into the garage apart-ment.

[As an aside, the Schmidts moved to 21 Westlane Place in River Oaks, a house later designated a Houston Historic Landmark and then demolished. Their Blue Bonnet house still stands!]

Many owners have transitioned through the two houses over the years.

Rebecca Kaplan remained on Blue Bonnet as a widow after 1944. Her garage apartment was occupied by Georgia Clemons, apparently her maid, and Georgia’s husband Mar-

shall, a porter for Texas Rubber & Specialty Corp., an oil field supply company.

About 1952 Rebecca sold to Dr. William M. Axelrod and wife Charlotte. Widowed about 1965, Charlotte remained until 1972. She was followed by: Dr. George R. Spear and wife Candy (1972); Dr. Glenn R. Cunningham, an endocrinolo-gist, and wife Camille (1983); interior designer Jennifer Lyn

and husband Jim Kevin Reid, who owned and managed commercial properties (2009); Dr. Mark Bonnen, a radia-tion oncologist, and wife Wendy M. Bonnen, a child and

adolescent psychologist in pri-vate practice (2013); and now Dr. Robert L. Burke, an orthope-dic surgeon, and wife Lisa Blume, a nurse.

The Underwood house also had a string of owners after Robert and Rebecca Kaplan: Allen Field (1969); Leroy J. Gloger, owner of radio station KIKK, and wife Reba (1972); real estate developer Roger Allen Liebrum and wife Martha, managing editor of the Houston Post (1980); Dr. John H. Harris Jr., a radiologist (1998); Dr. Robert I. Kaminsky, a urologist, and wife Jan M. (2002); and now Wendy and Dr. Mark Bonnen (above).

It has been common throughout Old Braeswood history for multiple houses to be owned by the same family. And equally common for residents to change houses or remod-el rather than move away. The Bonnens combined all of these traditions.

They could have added onto the Blue Bonnet house to get the added space they wanted, but the house had its origi-nal footprint, original long plank flooring, original tiles and was in great condition. They didn’t want to spoil any of that. The Underwood house had been added onto and remodeled repeatedly, with one episode featured in the May 1976 issue of Houston Home & Garden. It already had enough space, but lacked consistency in the materials and textures used over the years. They gave the house a “complete facelift” to integrate all the pieces of what had been added by prior owners.

Both houses have kept their place in the inventory of orig-inal houses that give Old Braeswood its ambience.

[This is the44th article in a continuing series on houses and people in Old Braeswood. Suggestions for future col-umns are welcome.]

JAN./FEB. 2017

2341 Blue Bonnet

2351 Underwood

Owned by Dr. Robert Burke & Lisa Blume

Owned by Dr. James & Wendy Bonnen

OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS JAN./FEB. 2017

Old Braeswood is now on the national map in terms of preservation. A tour of our neighborhood on November 18 was the culminating event of the annual convention of the National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTFHP). The tour was advertised as a “candlelight” tour because it was con-ducted after dark and attendees found their way from house to house with flashlights. But metaphor became reality when a transformer blew out late in the evening and the final leg of the tour was literally by candlelight. Who knew that OB residents stored so many candles? They appeared everywhere. Many participants commented that Christine and Joe Manca’s American colonial house (2318 Blue Bon-net Blvd.), was actually more authentic seen by candlelight. On December 9, the convention was memorialized with an article in the Houston Chronicle, written by Stephanie Meeks, president and CEO of the NTFHP and titled Preser-vation is building a path to the future. To quote the para-graph referencing Old Braeswood:

“Along with touring many of these historic districts, confer-ence attendees ventured out into the streets and surround-ing areas—on foot, by bike, by boat and bus—to see the ar-ea’s architectural treasures first-hand, and to understand better how Houstonians are working to preserve them. Tours included the innovative way Union Station was incor-porated into Minute Maid Park, the transformation of downtown’s once derelict Market Square Historic District—now a thriving center of residential and entertainment ven-ues—and a candlelight tour of homes in Old Braeswood.” Old Braeswood residents who deserve our thanks for open-ing their homes for the event include: Drs. Samia and Kamal Khalil; Rita and Bal Sareen; Diane Tanking and Blanten Filak; Erin and Chris Stimming; Chris-tine and Joe Manca; Susan and Paul Danziger; and Courtney and Fred Steves. The Steves are also deserv-ing of special recognition for hosting a party in their home for all tour guests!

National Trust Tour

Old Braeswood on Wikipedia

The Wikipedia article on Old Braeswood has been updated and pictures have been added. Take a look! The revision was done last Fall as an aid to those previewing the neighborhood before buying tickets to the National Trust’s candlelight tour. The list of notable persons who have lived in OB is not complete and will grow as more notables are identified.

OLD BRAESWOOD NEWS

Garden Club Holiday Party 2016

JAN./FEB. 2017

PAGE 4

The Old Braeswood Garden Club’s annual Holiday Party took place December 11th at the Memorial Log House Muse-um owned by the Daughters of the Republic of Texas. The party is always a high point in the Club year, and the Log House has heightened that experience for the last four years. Pictures of the party tell it all.


Garden of the Season: Fall Garden Recognition

If you spot two silver flamingos in a front yard in Old Braeswood, stop and admire the garden. The silver birds mark a beautiful garden recognized by the Old Braeswood Garden Club. Last fall the silver flamingos landed on the lovely front garden of Nancy and Ken Eisenmenger, in the 2500 block of Blue Bonnet. The Eisenmengers’ front yard is a lush garden with fruit trees and a variety of plants intertwined within winding walkways. If you know of a garden that deserves the Flamingo landings, please contact Annette Brown at [email protected].

Book Club News

Old Braeswood Book Club met for a Holiday Dinner Party at the home of Krista Heidersbach on December 13. Billed as “potluck,” the food went way beyond what one envisions as “potluck”: quail stuffed with chicken mousseline, turkey breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes, spinach & mozzarella, and equally gourmet sides and desserts. The evening also included a book exchange with each member bringing a copy of her favorite book. Another holiday event was a visit by the Club to the Museum of Fine Arts Houston after reading Lisette’s List, by Susan Vreeland. A museum docent led a tour that featured paintings either mentioned in the book or from the same time period. Brunch followed at Hotel Zaza. New members are welcome!

Garden Club Calendar

Contact co-president Nancy Eisenmenger ([email protected]) or co-president Dawn Gervais ([email protected]) for more details. January 24, 10 a.m. – Vegetarian Lifestyle, at home of Christine Infante, 2341 Underwood February 28, 10 a.m. – Members Show & Tell, at home of GG Hsieh, 2322 Maroneal

March 28, 10 a.m. – President’s Choice, Ikebana Flow-er Arranging by Club Member LaVerl Daily, at School of Ikebana, 3637 W. Alabama, #380. Followed by Dutch treat lunch.

Book Club Calendar Contact president Annette Brown ([email protected]) for more detail. February 10 – Book selection is Being Mortal: Medicine & What Matters at the End, by Atul Gawande, at home of Janet Ross Sanders, 2428 Gramercy March 14 – Book selection is Letters from Thailand, by Botan, at home of Dee Murray, 2402 Maroneal


Animals Among Us Rice University Luncheon

The Texas Annual Housing Report distributed by the Texas Association of Real-tors shows that despite slowing job growth throughout the year, Texas home sales volume continues to outpace 2015 levels. Nearly 30 percent of homebuyers are first-time homebuyers. Luxury home sales in Houston this year were down by 7.9 percent. This past year sales were down in Houston compared to 2015.

One thing that hasn’t changed in 2016 is that owning a home in Old Braeswood is a solid investment that will continue to appreciate over the years. This past year I have encountered so many homebuyers who are looking to purchase a home in our neighborhood. In particular vintage, original homes either updated or in original condition and ready for updating are in demand. Preserving our beautiful original homes is very important in keeping the charm of Old Braes-wood. If you are planning to sell your home in 2017 please consult one of the many agents who specialize in OB and appreciate and know the value of saving these gems!

Wishing you a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Old Braeswood Real Estate Summary:

2016 2015

Home Inventory 14 14

Minimum List/Sales Price $449,000 $560,000

Maximum List/Sales Price $2,349,000 $2,200,000

Currently, there is one home for sale in Old Braeswood, and as of the date of this publication it is sale pending.

Old Braeswood Real Estate Report by Dawn Gervais, Realtor ® Consultant * Greenwood King Properties

BARC (Bureau of Animal Regulation and Care) is the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Facility. Its website (http://www.houstontx.gov/barc) provides information about how to deal with animals both domestic and wild.

The main number at BARC is 311.

Always dial 911 in case of a life-threatening emergency.

Call Houston Police Animal Control 713.884.3131 to report animal abuse, fighting or other mistreatment and/or animals in distress.

To report a dangerous animal running loose, call BARC 311.

If you have a wild animal inside your home, call BARC 311.

If you have a wild animal or reptile in your yard, in the vicinity of your home or where you are: It is not necessary to call. Respect the animal and give it plenty of space. Move family and pets into a safe and secure area. Do not attempt to touch, feed or capture the animal. Never attempt to touch or capture the animal. Move family and pets into a safe, secure area and wait for assistance to arrive.

Old Braeswood was represented at the quarterly Rice University Community Luncheon, where neighborhood groups are updated on information relating to Rice. Of note was a report that in the last eight months there have been 5 forcible robberies in the Rice University area. Rice has responded by increasing the number of campus officers on patrol and working to increase the amount of campus lighting.

In addition, Rice is installing hedges along its perimeter where hedges do not now exist. The idea is that, although hedges do not keep people out, they do create boundaries that discourage illegal entry onto campus. All these ideas could be implemented by our residents to protect their homes.

Finally, it should be noted that one robber was identified because the stolen purse contained a Metro card and he began using it. Every time he used it, he appeared on camera until finally he was arrested. Carrying a Metro card broke the case.

City Noise Regulations

The City of Houston prohibits con-struction activity and loud noises such as the use of compressors for power washing and gas powered leaf blowers between the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. If you must schedule work crews, please do so outside these hours.

It’s neighborly to limit noise on weekends when neighbors are home and want to rest and relax. Please refrain from scheduling noisy exteri-or work on Sunday in particular. Thank you in advance for helping to preserve peace and harmony in Old Braeswood.


Trash & Recycling Schedule Recycling Every other Tuesday

Dates Jan. 10 & 24 Feb. 7 & 21 Mar. 7 & 21 Apr. 4 & 18

Household Trash Tuesdays (in city provided bins) Yard Waste Tuesdays (in biodegradable bags)

Tree Limbs & Debris 3rd Monday (in odd months)

Junk Waste 3rd Monday (in even months)

Place your household garbage in the city provided automated bin or recycling containers, and set them on the curb no earlier than 6 p.m. the evening preced-ing pick up and no later than 7 a.m. the day of pick up, and remove it no later than 10 p.m. on collection day. Bins left on the street beyond these times are subject to city fines. Bins must be accessible to the automated collection truck (not blocked by vehicles, trees, etc).

Yard waste must be bagged in city approved biodegradable bags, weighing no more than 50 pounds, and placed at the curb at least 3’ away from automated bins. Yard waste mixed with paper, plastic or any other type of waste will not be collected. Small branches may be put in bundles (no more than 4 ft. x 18 inches in diameter).

The Greening of Old Braeswood

The greening of Old Braeswood is nearing completion. The Tree Committee is pleased to report that 75 new trees were planted in the neighborhood in the first quarter of 2016 on Underwood, Blue Bonnet and Glen Haven. Be-tween November 2016 and January 2017 another 72 trees were planted on Maroneal, Bellefontaine and Gramercy.

Locations for another 60+ street trees on Dorrington have been sited, and many of those locations (where homeowners agree) will be planted in the next few weeks. Though leafless now, the new trees will soon leaf out.

Special thanks to the generous donors listed below who have helped make these plantings possible. The list represents donations received between Jan-uary and December 2016. Donations received after 12/31/16 will be included in the next edition of the newsletter.

Tree Committee co-chairmen Carroll Shaddock and Paul Sanders at the pruning

event on Saturday, Jan. 15. Also pruning (but not pictured) were Len Teich

and Dorry Shaddock.

2017 OBPOA

Officers & Chairpersons President Andrea Lapsley

Vice Pres. Joe Manca

Vice Pres. Buddy Steves

Vice Pres. Courtney Steves

At‐Large John Eldridge

At‐Large David Leathers

Treasurer Bill Marchbank

Secretary Julie Cohn

Past President Susan Teich *****************************************************

Advisory Dee Murray

Block Captains Chris ne Manca

Directory Sally Miller

Enforcement John Eldridge

Flood Control Kathy Lord &

Len Teich

Garden Club Nancy Eisemenger

Newsle er Evalyn Krudy

Park Anne e Eldridge

Plan Review Marilyn Archer

Preserva on Joe Manca

Patrol Dee Murray

Rice U Liaison Susan Teich

Social Events GG Hsieh

Trees Carroll Shaddock

Paul Sanders

University Place Andrea Lapsley

Welcome Dawn Gervais

Manager Evalyn Krudy

Johnny Acorn ($500 & up) Helen & Tony Davenport Mark Hausknecht & G.G. Hsieh Jay Plotkin (In memory of Katy) Rowena Young & Buddy Steves Melissa & Oliver Tuckerman

Tree Lover ($250 & up) Anonymous Pierre & Keiko Chevray Lisa & Bobby Frederick Robin Fredrickson The Gidleys Christine & Jeff Hollinden Barbie & Don Schaffer Susan & Leonard Teich

Tree Hugger ( $150 & up) Janet & Charles Bruner Gloria Pepper & Bernard Katz Josh, Emily & Jacob Schaffer Mollie & Randy Schaffer

Forester ($100 & up) Patricia & Ian Butler Maria Pannonne & Giulio Draetta Marilyn Archer & Jack Eby Kolburn Helgason Sharam & Lindsey Honari Drs. Samia & Kamal Khalil Anna & Raghu Kalluri Nieves B. Lawrence Mary & Patrick Lynch Amparo & Bruce Nelson Dorry & Carroll Shaddock Carrie & Austin Stanton Keila Torres & Jason Reed

Friend ($50 & up) Timothy & Adriana D. Barnard Biman & Bhagvanti Das Dr. Leonard & June Goldberg Dr. Barbara S. Green & Louis Green MD Ann St. Germain & Tony Wood

Great fun was had at the neighborhood Social and Annual Meeting on Nov. 9. Pictured here are just a few of the neighbors in attendance!.

Annual POA Meeting 2016 and Special Thanks

Dr. Don and Barbie Schaffer opened their beautiful home to the POA by hosting the 2016 annual meeting on November 9th. The food, the wine, the camaraderie, and the committee updates would have been reasons alone to attend, but the meeting also concluded the selection of a 2017 Executive Committee for the POA Board. Those elected to serve for 2017 are:

President: Andrea Lapsley Vice President (a): David Leathers Vice President (b): Joe Manca Vice President (c): Buddy Steves Secretary: Julie Cohn Congratulations to the new Executive Committee and many thanks to them for agreeing to serve!

Susan Teich received a stand-ing ovation for her service as president for the past 3 years.

Special thanks to Dr. Don and Barbie Schaffer for opening their home for the Nov. annual meeting.

Treasurer: Bill Marchbank Past President: Susan Teich At Large: John Eldridge At Large: Courtney Steves

PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 541346 Houston, TX 77254-1346

Phone: 713-807-1787 Email: [email protected]

www.oldbraeswood.com

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